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Diabetes: A Disease That Needs A Whoopin

Remember those posts where I would type out long, emotional statements about my first Alabama endocrinologist? I used to dread driving the 10 miles to downtown Huntsville just to get piss-poor treatment, and downright shitty advice (or lack of). I used to walk out of the office completely shot, with eyes full of tears and a deep desire to tear the little paper appointment reminder to shreds. "You mean I have to go back?!" I would think to myself. "Why is he so terrible to me? Why do I have Diabetes in the first place? Was moving to Alabama just a huge mistake?"

But I am in such a different place now. I don't mind the 2-hour drive north to Vanderbilt, and I happily schedule two appointments in advance. The tears are long gone (I'm sure Chris is thankful for that). I know I have a support team and they are more than willing to make my life easier, however they can. Even something just as simple as calling in my next year's worth of prescriptions so I don't have to take the handwritten Rx and mail it in. Or writing a travel letter for my upcoming out-of-country trip to Jamaica (helloooooooo honeymoon;-), sending it in the mail and emailing it via the Vanderbilt online patient system. And they are encouraging, even when my A1c is 7.1% and I am a little perturbed it is coming down so slow (my last two were 7.2%). They are proud of me, they are proud I test my blood sugar so often, that I adjust my basal rates as necessary, that I am actively engaged in managing this bugger of a disease. They are proud that I have lost a few pounds and strive for perfection in my eating habits (I'm proud of me for this too!). They think it's great that I am a patient blogger, and no one has completely fell on the floor laughing when I have mentioned the whole astronaut thing.

It's just different up there.

It's exactly what I need.

I guess I have been keeping the Diabetes blog shout outs on the down-low lately, but that doesn't mean Diabetes has been on the down-low in my life. Sometimes it is just a little too heavy for the blog, and sometimes I have dealt with it all day and don't feel like writing about it. But rest assured, it is still alive and kickin', my pancreas is still a mooch, and my fingers are still callused. But somehow, feeling encouragement from the big D-Rs at Vanderbilt is so entirely comforting, it's like we are collectively kicking Diabetes' ass...me and my entourage...and I like that. Diabetes needs a good whoopin'.

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Disclaimer

I'm a rocket scientist...I diagnose and treat rocket problems, not medical ones!!! Sometimes I blog about my personal experiences as a person living with Type 1 Diabetes, however, this is not to be taken as medical advice.